The Gryffindor's Stand
by Ms D Longbottom
Summary: For the quidditch league fanfiction competition. What if Harry Potter had died in the forest at the end of DH? Story told through the eyes of Neville Longbottom during the final battle.


Title: The Gryffindor's Stand  
Postion:Chasers 3 (submitted by chaser 1)  
Team: Pride of Portree  
NOTE: If anything seems familiar in this story it is becuase parts were taken from pages 585-589 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, just for cannon sake. No copy right intended.  
What if Harry Potter had died in the forest at the end of DH?

Neville's heart plummented as he saw his friends limp and lifeless body in Hargrids arms. He felt all saliva leave his mouth, it now tasted dry and stale. Their leader was dead. He heard the screams of "No! Harry!" from fellow students and staff of Hogwarts pound like a kettle drum in his ears.

"SILENCE!" Voldemort called out, "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid at my feet, where he belongs"

Neville scrunched his knuckles into a tight fist as Hagrid lay Harry's body down in the grass. He trembled not with fear but with anger.

"You see?" Voldemort continued. "Harry Potter is dead..."

Neville did not hear the rest of what Voldemort had to say. To Neville he was pushed from existence, the only sound was the thumbing of the blood through his own ears. He must be mad he thought. Instinctively he charged yelling out a battle cry as he did so. His target? Voldemort himself and the snake. Harry had told him to kill the snake. He didn't understand why but he knew it had to be done.

But unfortunately the dark lord saw him coming. He grunted in pain as a curse hit him in the chest and knocked him into the ground. He was disarmed. Voldemort threw his wand away laughing.

"And who is this?" He hissed "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

" It's Neville Longbottom, my Lord!" Bellatrix laughed with absolute delight.

For Neville time seemed to slow down, he had failed. He had failed himself, his school, his friends, family and most of all he had failed Harry. He struggled unarmed back to his feet as Voldemort questioned his blood status.

"So what if I am?" He replied loudly, trying to keep his voice even and steady.

"You show a spirit, and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable death eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom"

Neville was furious. There was no way in hell he'd betray himself or anyone else like that by becoming one of them. His blood boiled and he stared at Voldemort straight in the eye. Now he knew not was fear was.

"I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledores Army!" He yelled. There was an answering cheer from the crowd. His heart swelled, this fight was not over yet. Harry would not die in vain.

Voldemort summoned the sorting hat from one of the castles broken windows. He spouted on about the removal of all houses but Slytherin.

The next thing he knew Voldemorts wand was pointed straight at him. He expected the worst. He stood tall and proud waiting for the killing curse to hit. But instead he found himself rigid and still. He had been body bounded. Voldemort placed the sorting hat upon Neville's head. It slipped over his eyes.

"Neville here is going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me"

Panic rose in Neville's throat but he swallowed it down. The sorting hat burst into flames and Neville screamed in both surprise, fear and pain. He could not move a single muscle.

He became aware of giants crys and the rumble of the ground beneath his feet as the giants and a heard of centaurs started war. He summonded all the strength he could muster as he smelt his own flesh burning. In one swift fluid motion he broke free of the curse, the flaming hat fell off him and pulled the sword of Godric Gryffindor from it's depths.

Neville locked eyes on his target. Nagini.

Every eye seemed to be upon him and his silver blade as he sliced of the snake's head with a single stroke. Voldemort's scream of fury was silenced. As chaos was breaking out around him, Neville scanned the ground for his wand. But he could not see it. What he did see however was Harry's, which was clearly sticking out of his pocket.

It was a split second decision that chilled Neville to his bones. He lunged for Harry's body and Voldemort aimed his wand at him once more. As if in slow motion, Neville rolled onto his back pulling Harry's wand from it's pocket as he did so and aimed it at his attacker.  
Anger coursed through his veins and he screamed out in terror and desperation.

"Avada Kedavra!"

There seemed to be a pure crisp silence as the curse hit Voldemort directly in the chest. His mouth hung open in shock and he fell backwards, arms splayed, the slit pupils of his scarlet eyes rolling backwards.

The fighting seized and everyone inhaled a deep breath. Shakily Neville got to his feet an addressed the crowd.

"This war is over! There has been enough blood shed, on both sides. I end this now!" He roared.

"This ends now. We should stand united not divided. So what if one of us is pure and the other not. It should not matter. We are human. We are witches we are wizards. For those of us among who are not. You have a heart, blood, a brain emotions... Just like the rest of us" He addressed the centaurs, giants and other various creatures.

"Come together as one. Harry and many others sacrificed theirs lives for this. If you do not wish peace then begone from the place. You will not be chased tonight. But rest assured. We will find you and we will succeed in either killing you or serving justice where it is due. Now... Who is with me?"

Neville held his breath waiting for a reaction. When Professor McGonagall started clapping loudly. The rest of the students joined in the applause, circling Neville and patting him on the back. Multiples of death eaters dropped their wands. There was no point in fighting, they saw they had lost. Though few attempted to flee and were let go.

Draco Malfoy approached him at one stage and asked for the return of the wand that was 'rightfully his which Potter stole' happily Neville slammed it into his hands breaking three of his fingers.

Harry's body was recovered and brought to the great hall so he could lay with his other fallen comrades. They lay him beside Remus, Tonks and Fred. He would be burried beside them a few days later and his name along with all the others would be carved into a great memorial stone that stood in Hogwarts grounds.

In many years to come Neville would stand at his window in green house two and stare at it mourning the loss of his beloved friends. But with a heavy heart that was still healing he would turn to his class and move on with each new passing day.


End file.
